“Mom, you’re famous!” And other titles I’ve been given.

“Mom, you’re famous!” Emaline declared from the back seat of the van last week. What did I do to receive this title? I blew a bubble with my bubble gum. To Emaline, who can’t seem to grasp how to even try this amazing trick, it made me famous.

“Mom! You look like a movie star!” (Elise) “No. Mom, you look like a rock star!” (Emaline) Both of these titles came one morning as we were rushing to get everyone loaded into the van to get to school and work. I was wearing jeans, a t-shirt, my leather jacket and sunglasses.

What title would you give yourself as a mom or as a woman? Would it include the words famous, movie star or rock star? Would you call yourself the best mom ever or #1 mom? Or would your titles be less flashy, maybe even heavy with judgement, guilt or regret? Would you question your parenting decisions and wonder what you might have done differently, better, spent more time on or less time on?

We are too judgemental about our own parenting/mothering skills. We feel guilty about going to work and not going to work, what we make (or take-out) for dinner, the “quality” time we spent with our children, our housekeeping skills, our role as a wife, our time with God and time being alone (Do we have the right to want to spend time alone?). We look at other mothers and think they have it all figured out. Did you ever stop to think that they might be thinking the same thing about you?

Our children don’t need us or want us to be perfect, not that we could be. They want us. That’s it. They want us to be their mom, and that looks different for everyone. They want us to blow bubbles with our bubble gum and dress like rock stars. So, grab that leather jacket and buy some bubble gum. Be the famous mom you are meant to be!